MLB Players Name Favorite to Land Shohei Ohtani in Free Agency

Players think one team has emerged as the favorite to land the two-way phenom in free agency.

Shohei Ohtani’s future with the Angels is a hot topic within MLB circles.

The 28-year-old two-way star, who will become an unrestricted free agent after this season, could end up suiting up for a new team in 2024, on what would likely be a record-setting contract. 

Ahead of his impending free agency, The Athletic polled MLB players from 22 different teams, asking them where they think Ohtani will be playing in 2024. 

There was a runaway favorite among the polled players, with more than 57% of the field indicating that the Dodgers are Ohtani’s most likely landing spot.

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The Dodgers led the results with 57.2% of votes, followed by the Angels (11.4%), Padres (7.2%), Mets (7.2%), and Yankees (6.3%). The Cubs, Mariners, Blue Jays and Red Sox were the only other teams to receive a vote.

Reports indicate Ohtani’s upcoming contract could eclipse the $500 million mark, which would make him the highest-paid player in baseball history. 

As of now, the general feeling among major leaguers appears to be that the Dodgers are favorites to add Ohtani to the bevy of talent already on their roster.

This season, Ohtani leads MLB with 24 home runs and 58 RBIs, registering a 1.015 OPS through 72 games. He owns a 3.29 ERA and 105 strikeouts in his first 82 innings on the mound this year. 

The Angels are vying to make the postseason for the first time during Ohtani’s tenure with the team, having failed to reach the playoffs in each of his first six seasons in Anaheim.